Pennsbury grad makes a difference for poor African farmers
LOWER MAKEcIELD – Melissa Tickle believes in making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
7LFNOH, 20, RI /RwHU 0DNHfiHOG 7RwnVKLS, LV D VHnLRU DW Lehigh University majoring in International Relations and Economics with a minor in Spanish.
A 2M1M graduate of Pennsbury High School, she is involved in a project called RASS (Rural Agricultural Storage and SustainabilityF.
The project is underway in the Republic of Ghana, a country in West Africa. Ghana is bordered by the Ivory Coast to the west.
Originally, the project was developed in the class, Poverty and Development, at Lehigh, which was taught by Professor Bruce Moon. Tickle took the class during the spring 2M12 semester.
There are two other members of the group: Brittany Hendricks of Ottsville and Allie Barone of Plymouth, Conn. They also attend Lehigh and are international relations majors.
“The RASS Project aims to lower post-harvest losses experienced by rural Ghanaian farmers,” Tickle said. “We KDYH LGHnWLfiHG WKH DJULFuOWuUDO VHFWRU DV GKDnD’V PRVW promising, yet underutilized, potential for development.”
Existing development projects focus solely on implementing modern agricultural techniques to improve productivity.
“These projects, however, do not take into account the lack of acceptable storage methods and inability to manage increased harvest yields,” she said.
Tickle noted that this trend leads to a 2M- to 3M-percent loss of farmer’s harvests and leads to a severe glut in the market, lowering the prices received by farmers which can discourage future farming.
“Our goal is to increase both the income and food supply of the Ghanaian farmers,” she noted.
Tickle and her classmates are all very interested in sustainable development studies and were given what she calls an “incredible opportunity” to actually implement a project that they created in their class at Lehigh.
The students are not receiving any credit for this project now because it LV nR ORnJHU DIfiOLDWHG wLWK D /HKLJK 8nLYHUVLWy FODVV.
The three students traveled to Ajumako, Ghana in July 2012 IRU Dn LnLWLDO fiHOG YLVLW IRU WwR wHHNV.
“:H wHUH IRUWunDWH HnRuJK WR finG WKH $KRPDNRURPEuD village, where we received a plot of land in order to conVWUuFW WKH fiUVW VWRUDJH IDFLOLWy,” VKH VDLG.
The village is also providing free manual labor for the project.
“We traveled to Ghana with two former Lehigh students who created SEAD, a program where they implement improved agricultural techniques on the farms of local schools,” Tickle said.
Her group is returning to Ghana at the end of July for two more weeks in order to start the construction of the storage facility.
“Prior to our visit, members of the local village will begin to clear the land to ease the construction process,” Tickle said.
The group recently won the Davis Projects for Peace Grant for A1M,MMM which must be used by the end of the summer.
“We are currently trying to raise A2,5MM more in funds on our website and funding site,” Tickle said. “We understand that the initial construction of this facility is very capital-intensive, but maintaining this facility will require minimal capital in the future.”
Although Tickle does not have any set plans for after graduation from Lehigh, she is very interested in economic development and policy.
To help, visit the funding site: http://www.indiegogo. com/ projects/ rass- rural- agricultural- storage- andsustainability/x/32114M8
The website is: http://therassproject.wix.com/the-rassproject